Display and storage device

ABSTRACT

A display and storage device is intended for the distribution of cooled, and also of pre-heated, foods on a supporting unit, each unit having a compartmented surface divided axially by a double symmetrical concave groove on both faces and a perforated surface. The units are used in combination with a storage cabinet which received the units superimposed in two stacked rows divided up axially by a fixed partition and by a flexible partition with fibres and tufts joining the axial concave profiles of the tray units and separating thermally the refrigerated sectors from the preheated sectors. The heating sectors may have columns ending in a discharge hood and in a recovery tank, and the refrigerating columns may be supplied laterally by distributing shafts, with deflecting vanes, which pass cold air to the evaporator through the action of a recycling aspirator.

1 1 DISPLAY AND STORAGE DEVICE Rene Grandi. l 13 rue de la Liberation 38 Bourgoin- Jullieu, France 221 Filed: Dec.4, 1973 1211 Appl. N0.;421,s20

[76] lnventor:

[ Aug. 5, 1975 Primary Examiner-Casmir A. Nunberg Attorney, Agent. or FirmWi11iam Anthony Drucker 5 7 ABSTRACT A display and storage device is intended for the distribution of cooled. and also of pre-heated, foods on a supporting unit, each unit having a compartmented surface divided axially by a double symmetrical concave groove on both faces and a perforated surface. The units are used in combination with a storage cabinet which received the units superimposed in two stacked rows divided up axially by a fixed partition and by a flexible partition with fibres and tufts joining the axial concave profiles of the tray units and separating thermally the refrigerated sectors from the preheated sectors. The heating sectors may have columns ending in a discharge hood and in a recovery tank, and the refrigerating columns may be supplied laterally by distributing shafts, with deflecting vanes, which pass cold air to the evaporator through the action of a recycling aspirator.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures [30] Foreign Application Priority Data Decv 6, 1972 France .4 72.44646 [52] U.S. C1 312/236; 312/126 [51] Int. Cl. A47B 47/00; A47B 77/08 [58] FieldofSearch ..312/1l4, 116211214, 312/236, 250, 209 R [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 1042.384 7/1962 Bauman 312/236 1275393 9/1966 Stentz et all H 3L 2/214 329L546 12/1966 Traycoffws. 312/236 X 131L434 3/1967 Dyer et a1... 312/214 3.389.946 6/1968 Nicolaus 312/236 DISPLAY AND STORAGE DEVICE The invention relates to a device for displaying and storing refrigerated and pre-heated foodstuffs on a supporting unit.

In the known devices of this type, use is made of isothermal and dielectric material trays whose bearing surface has, on the one hand, compartments for holding the food to be refrigerated and moreover an electric resistance embedded in the compound, which preheats the tray containing the food to be eaten hot; this heating alters the shape and causes the destruction of the tray, which soon becomes impossible to use. Moreover, the cleaning of these supports soon becomes out of the question, so that their high cost price greatly raises the charges made for the meals thus served.

The device according to the invention altogether does away with these drawbacks and makes it possible to use an intact storage and display surface with simplified manufacture which, while increasing the advantages, lowers the cost price, and adapts the hot and cool display unit to the storage cabinet.

It consists of a tray having firstly a surface that is merely compartmented on one side, then a double axial profile, with concave symmetrical surface, on both sides, which is designed to fit a flexible insulating partition separating the perforated surface receiving the metal container provided with isothermal packing on its parts in contact with the trays.

In the accompanying drawings, which are given by way of non-limiting example of one of the forms of carrying out the invention:

FIG. 1 shows details of the design of the tray seen in longitudinal section.

FIG. 2 shows in elevation and section the storage cabinet with double heating and cooling circuit.

The tray in FIG. 1 consists of a part in one piece, preferably of dielectric, isothermal, insulating synthetic material.

An area 1 of this surface is provided with compartments 2, 3 to hold the food to be refrigerated. [ts axial part has on its two faces a concave groove 4, 5 for holding a packing 6, 7 formed by flexible and insulating portions, forming a perfectly tight-fitting flexible isothermal partition.

The surface 8 only has a single orifice intended for holding a metal container 10 with overlapping base 11. This container is movable or fixed and has a movable cover 12.

A heat lagged packaging l3, l4 insulates the metal parts in contact with the surface 8.

This tray is placed in a storage cabinet. It is positioned by regular stacking with superimposition as at 15, 16, 17, 18 on either side of the separating axial partition 19.

The heating sectors 8, 8' are superimposed in the columns 20, 21 ending in a suction discharge hood 22, arrow A. Series of heating resistances 23, 24 keep the containers 10 at the required temperature.

In the refrigerating columns 25, 26 where the sectors 1, 1 provided with compartments are placed, cool air circulates between the rigid partitions 27, 28 and the flexible partitions 29, 30. The cold air generated by the evaporator 33 is sent to the shafts 31, 32, arrows B, and passes into the columns 25, 26 arrows C via the deflectors 31' 32' through the action of the aspirator 34.

Tanks 3S recover the condensation, while a compressor 36 completes this assembly. There are thus obtained with extremely simple trays, which can be reused indefinitely, are easy to clean and keep antiseptic, meal displays having on a single surface a warm dish and iced sweets, which are ready to be eaten at all times, over an unlimited period of time.

It is therefore through the combination of the compartments with functional profiles and flexible partitions that the invention is characterised.

I claim:

1. A display and storage device, for the distribution of cooled and preheated foods on a supporting unit, comprising a compartmented dielectric, isothermal insulating surface having a double symmetrical concave groove on both faces axially dividing said surface and a perforated surface on one side of said groove, said device having no space that is not accessible for cleaning, and no countenbacking off making manufacture complex.

2. A device, according to claim 1, in which the compartmented part is intended for foods to be refrigerated and the perforated part is intended for containers holding dishes to be eaten hot, said device being preferably movable and provided with isothermal packing separating the metal surfaces from the supporting surfaces that are made generally of synthetic material.

3. A display and storage device which comprises a storage cabinet, said cabinet receiving trays, each tray comprising a compartmented, dielectric, isothermal insulating surface having a double symmetrical concave groove on both faces axially dividing said surface and a perforated surface on one side of said groove, said trays being stacked in two rows of stacks divided up axially by a fixed outer partition and by a flexible inner insulating partition with fibres and tufts joining the axial concave profiles of the trays and separating thermally the refrigerated sectors from the preheated sec tors.

4. A device, according to claim 3 wherein the heating sectors have their columns ending in a discharge hood and in a recovery tank, and wherein the refrigerating columns are supplied laterally by distributing shafts, each shaft having deflecting vanes which pass cold air to the evaporator through the action of a recycling aspirator.

5. A device according to claim 4 wherein said perforated surface each includes a container of relatively high thermal conductivity and a heater positioned in contact with each container.

* l IF i 

1. A display and storage device, for the distribution of cooled and preheated foods on a supporting unit, comprising a compartmented dielectric, isothermal insulating surface having a double symmetrical concave groove on both faces axially dividing said surface and a perforated surface on one side of said groove, said device having no space that is not accessible for cleaning, and no counter-backing off making manufacture complex.
 2. A device, according to claim 1, in which the compartmented part is intended for foods to be refrigerated and the perforated part is intended for containers holding dishes to be eaten hot, said device being preferably movable and provided with isothermal packing separating the metal surfaces from the supporting surfaces that are made generally of synthetic material.
 3. A display and storage device which comprises a storage cabinet, said cabinet receiving trays, each tray comprising a compartmented, dielectric, isothermal insulating surface having a double symmetrical concave groove on both faces axially dividing said surface and a perforated surface on one side of said groove, said trays being stacked in two rows of stacks divided up axially by a fixed outer partition and by a flexible inner insulating partition with fibres and tufts joining the axial concave profiles of the trays and separating thermally the refrigerated sectors from the preheated sectors.
 4. A device, according to claim 3 wherein the heating sectors have their columns ending in a discharge hood and in a recovery tank, and wherein the refrigerating columns are supplied laterally by distributing shafts, each shaft having deflecting vanes which pass cold air to the evaporator through the action of a recycling aspirator.
 5. A device according to claim 4 wherein said perforated surface each includes a container of relatively high thermal conductivity and a heater positioned in contact with each container. 